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Nuremberg (dpa) - In view of the ever greater challenges in the already difficult World Cup preparation, the enthusiasm of national ice hockey coach Toni Söderholm is a bit baffled.

Despite everything, the 43-year-old Finn enjoys working towards the unfamiliar world championship in Riga (May 21 to June 6) with the selection of the German Ice Hockey Federation amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"That was great.

Very intense, ”Söderholm told the German Press Agency at the beginning of the second week of preparation in Nuremberg for his return to the gang.

Söderholm had not seen an international match for a year and a half.

After the Deutschland Cup 2019, the World Cup in Switzerland including the preparatory games was canceled due to corona in 2020.

In November at the Deutschland Cup, Söderholm got it himself.

Because of a Covid 19 illness, he could only watch from the sick bed.

Last week at the first World Cup tests in Slovakia with a relatively inexperienced selection given the current DEL playoffs, the time had finally come again.

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«We went from zero to a hundred. That was really great fun, ”said Söderholm despite the narrow defeats (3: 4 after penalty shoot-out / 1: 2). On Thursday (6:00 p.m. / MagentaSport and Sport1) and Saturday (1:00 p.m. / MagentaSport) it will continue against the Czech Republic in Nuremberg. In addition to the veteran Moritz Müller (Kölner Haie) and ex-NHL defender Korbinian Holzer (automaker Yekaterinburg), three players from EHC Red Bull Munich are also involved in the German ice hockey league after the surprisingly early play-offs. Only three. Because in Yasin Ehliz, Frank Mauer, Yannic Seidenberg and Daryl Boyle, four Olympic silver medalists are missing from 2018.

Apparently it is currently not so easy for everyone to get excited about the tournament without spectators in the halls, with constant corona tests and meticulous regulations on team bubbles before and during the World Cup. "With the players you have the feeling that after leaving the playoffs, the air is a little more out than usual," said Söderholm tellingly. Because the said quartet will no longer join them. According to Söderholm “for different reasons”.

It won't be the only important players who won't be in Riga.

In David Wolf (Mannheim) and Patrick Hager (Munich) further silver winners from Pyeongchang are injured.

It is possible that even more will cancel.

«You also hear from other coaches that it's a special year.

It's more strenuous, ”said Söderholm.

"The mental strain on the players began a year ago."

At that time, the season was canceled due to the corona.

For months it was unclear when they would play again.

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DEB sports director Christian Künast outlined what the players can expect after the end of the shortened DEL season, which has been changed in format, before the World Cup: Daily quick and PCR tests, face mask compulsory, food in the hotel only in the rooms. “There will be a regular schedule for when they can get their food in order to have as little contact as possible. That is very important, and we try to do everything we can, ”said Künast.

The German Ice Hockey Federation cannot count on reinforcements from North America this time either.

Due to corona-related game failures, the NHL preliminary round will be extended until shortly before the start of the World Cup.

However, players who move up must be quarantined individually and then in a team.

"On the seventh day, the player should intervene in the competition," said Künast.

Does it still make sense to move up professionals from North America?

“Nothing changes in the objective,” Söderholm made clear despite everything.

The German World Cup minimum goal is more or less cemented with the quarter-finals under Söderholm.

"Our job is simply to find the best team."

Nothing easier than this.

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© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210428-99-383783 / 2

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